Physiology Flashcards
Ventilation is
The exchange of air between the atmosphere and the alveoli. The volume of air moving out of or into the lungs at a given time
minute ventillation
Tidal volume times breaths per minute
alveolar ventillation
minute ventillation corrected for physiologic dead space
What happens to the FEV1 over FVC ratio in obstructive pulmonary disease
it goes down because the FEV1 decreases more than the FVC does, “volume of air that can be forcefully expired decreases, especially during the first second.”
What happens to the FEV1/FVC in restrictive lung disease
Goes up because FVC decreases more than FEV1
What is the rough calculation of anatomic dead space
Your wt in pounds
What is functional or alveolar dead space?
The volume of air that ventilates alveoli that do not participate in the perfusion process. This is most commonly due to a ventilation perfusion defect (V/Q mismatch). Can be unavailable for gas exchange due to lack of blood supply (embolus) or some sort of ventillation issue to that alveoli.
To increase alveolar ventillation, which is a more useful method of minimizing alveolar dead space
Slow deep breathing over fast shallow breathing.
Normal tidal volume
about 500ml
Normal anatomical dead space
about 150
Pressure =
force per unit area
If I say the pleural pressure is -4, that really means what
It is 756mmHg, 4 less than atmospheric/barometric
Pressure difference between alveolus and mouth(atmosphere) determines flow into and out of lungs
True
What determines the inflation of the lung
Transpulmonary pressure: the difference between the pressure in the alveolus and the pressure in the IP space
How do we measure IP pressure
Esophageal pressure (insert a balloon catheter into the esophagus)
Compliance relates the change in volume of a closed space to the change in pressure distending it
true
Decreased compliance found in what type of lung disease
restrictive lung disease…diseases that stiffen the lungs like fibrosis or pulmonary edema
What does a compliance curve look like
Lung volume on the y axis, transpulmonary pressure on the x axis. Hysteresis exists in the compliance curve. This is because during inspiration, the lung begins at low volume where liquid molecules are closest together. The intramolecular force between these lipid molecules is much higher than the intramolecular force between liquid and air. Thus, the compliance of the lung is lower during inspiration than it is during expiration.
Surfactant
reduces surface tension and prevents SMALL airspace (alveoli) from collapsing. it is mostly phospholipid and this alowsit to separate the bonds between liquid molecules
What two major factors determine lung compliance?
Tissue Properties: lung contains large amounts of collagen and elastin connective tissue fibers that account for about 1/3 of elastance. ALSO, the alveoli are interconnected which helps counteract collapse.
Surface Forces: Surfactant
WHat is the most important factor in determining airway resistance
Radius of the Tube
What is the significance of the radius of the airway being the greatest factor in determining airway resistance
People with increased airway resistance (asthmatics during attack) will breathe at a higher lung volkume because it opens up the airways more.
What are two othe rmajor factors that determine airway resistance in the bronchos/bronchioles
Contraction of bronchial smooth muscle, and density and viscosity of inhaled gas.
Define the respiratory quotient
Volume of CO2 produced/ volume of O2 consumed
Movement of O2 and CO2 is a process of
diffusion: movement down a partial pressure gradient